Towpath blast 'well-planned attack'

Mar 11 2013

A bomb attack on three police officers on a busy coastal path in Northern Ireland was a sophisticated and well-planned attempt to kill, a senior detective has said.

Two policemen and one policewoman were only metres from the device when it exploded on the Duncrue towpath in north Belfast on Saturday night.

They escaped injury.

Forensic experts are examining if the explosive detonated fully.

There had been two previous call-outs to police on Saturday alleging a crime had been committed on the towpath and police are investigating whether the officers were lured to the scene of the bomb.

The officer leading the investigation, Detective Chief Inspector Karen Baxter, said: "This attack has had significant planning, it's sophisticated and it has a clear intent to kill."